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Sunday, 28 June 2009

The Second Sight

The Second Sight, or an dara sealladh, is one of the more curious, but constant cultural phenomenons, in Celtic lands and those places where Celts have settled around the world. It is the sixth sense, the ability to see and perceive, images or knowledge of events, of death to come, either near or distant. It most associated with Gaels of Highland Scottish or Hebridean ancestry, but is also known throughout Ireland and Scotland. Modern science, in an attempt to classify the phenomenon, describes it as the paranormal perception at a distance in time and space and the parapsychologist place the Second Sight along side ESP, or extra sensory perception.

A frequent vision seen by those with the Second Sight is a premonition of a death shortly to occur in the community. This can take the form of seeing an apparition of the person, his wraith, no matter how far away the person might be. There are also reports of those gifted seeing lights around the person that is fated soon to pass over.

Sometimes the Second Sight concerns more mundane occurrences, such as the sure knowledge that comes to those gifted of a future outcome or occurrence. This is not a case of luck or coincidence, but rather the complete, certain and accurate knowledge, of an event in the future or even a case of just 'knowing' where something that has been mislaid is.

The Second Sight is called a 'gift', but is not considered so by those afflicted with the sense. The episodes come on them not of their own choosing, but in spells which they have no control. The burden of knowing where death will call among friends and family, or just the burden of knowledge of the nature of people, or their never to be realised dreams, etc., often makes those with the sense solitary by choice. They will often seek to live in wooded cabins, or seashore or mountain homes, places where they do not have to discourse with people, just to escape episodes of the Second Sight. They live lonely lives of solitude, deep in thoughts and knowledge of how mysterious life really is.

Sarah Pearl Tweedy, born in 1883 in southern Illinois, had the Second Sight. Her family left County Cavan early in the 1700s for Colonial America. This photo take circa 1905.

Science only now is perhaps providing some explanation into the Second Sight. As leading physicists develop theories into quantum physics, into String Theory, or of multiple universes and dimensions no further away than our finger tips, perhaps some explanation into the Second Sight can be understood. Perhaps in the population among certain people, in Scotland for instance, some families have long had abilities perceive these things, to have access to time and space, not as a linear progression, but access to the entire flow of events.

The Second Sight is thought to be hereditary and it 'runs' in some families. As is often the case in genetics, the Second Sight may skip one or two generations, and then return, like some regressive trait for hair colour or shape of ears. The phenomenon is much too authenticated to pretend it does not exist.

While this is so, here in the 21st Century amid a society based on consumerism and values taken from a very material world, instances of the Second Sight seem to be waning. The massive intrusion of media, the incessant TV and radio programs, Cell phone signals, satellite communications, computers and more, could very well make the all too fragile links to the other world to frayed and cloudy for those with the Second Sight to perceive their reality anymore. Only in rural areas in Scotland and Ireland, and in the Southern hills and uplands in the United States, where so many Irish and Scottish settled, are there still reports of people with the Second Sight.

14 comments:

So nice to read your thoughts on this subject matter. I have heard that one Scottish gentleman took a nap and woke up with a stone on his chess that had a hole in it. When he looked through the hole he would have second sight? Have you any information on this? Thanks for sharing..Cheers

Algis that would be the Brahan seer... Wondering how someone might go about looking up something like that, my mother takes medicine to block her dreams, and is very solitary to avoid knowing peoples true natures. I have been bowled over time after time with my own dreams, premonitions and insights. Now my youngest daughter has started dreams, and she is two! We have other issues that in trying to research as well to see what myths and fiction might shed light.

Algis that would be the Brahan seer...I'm of Scottish descent. My mother takes medication to avoid her dreams, and prefers solitude due to always knowing others true natures. As for myself I have dreams, know things about people, and a few other things. My youngest daughter is two and is having dreams as well. The past week we have all had very disturbing dreams. We also have other things about us that I would love to find answers for, through fact myth or fiction. There has to be a reason.

I had my first experience with second sight as a 6 or 7 year old, about 1960. The phenomenon was absolutely remarkable. It runs STRONGLY in my fathers side of the family. His grandmother was Irish. (The apparent link)My daughter even experienced it at least once. I hope to write about my experience with this phenomenon soon, and also about the others who have shared their experiences of it with me.

Based on my limited research, I can tell you that there seems to be strong evidence that our departed relatives and friends ARE ABLE TO SEND US MESSAGES AND VISIONS, especially in sleeping dreams.

The bible tells us not to disturb the dead, but it seems to be a one way street for some of us.

Unless a person has experienced second sight, it is probably IMPOSSIBLE to understand how UNMISTAKEABLE it really is.

I'm of Irish, Scottish and Welsh descent, and have had dreams also. I've seen things. Most times, however, it's more a feeling.. I just know things.. then it happens. I understand my grandmother had this too. Weird and not always welcome.

This is somewhat awkward for me to tell. One Christmas our daughter gave us a note with a Teddy Bear announcing they were going to have their first child. When I picked up the gift I was struck with a feeling of sadness. Three weeks later she had a miscarriage. Another time I was walking out of her home and glanced at a tree at her home. The word lightning came to me. Two weeks later she called and asked me could I guess what just happened. I said yes, her tree was struck by lightning. They had to cut it down completely due to the strike. Another time I glanced at two family members and instantly I saw a vision of these two members. This vision came to pass about a month later. I only told my wife what I saw on that day when it happened. It seems if I talk about it the less things happen. I don't discuss it unless I feel there is a need to.

This is an awkward topic for me to discuss. I have experienced feelings, words, scents such as perfume of deceased family members, and a few visions. Our daughter gave us a Christmas gift with a Teddy Bear on it. She was announcing the birth of their first child. When I held the gift a feeling of sadness came over me. She had a miscarriage about 3 weeks later. Another time I was coming out of their home and glanced at a tree next to their back patio. Instantly the word "lightning" came to me. She called about 2 weeks later and said lightning just struck their tree. They had to cut it down. Another time I glanced at 2 family members and a vision appeared showing a situation that was about to happen. It was very disturbing. I told only my wife that day what I saw. It was so real. It came to pass about a month later. The situation caused the family to divorce. There are other things but too much to post here. I don't talk about things like this too much because it is odd and some people would not understand. Also, the least I talk about it, the more active it seems to be.

I have the unfortunate ability to see shadows of forms. When I see them in the house I always tell my husband there will a death of either a man or woman and the general distance and direction from us that they live. Within about four days they die. Many quite unexpectedly. People think I'll of such ability so I don't broadcast it. I also know when something major is about to happen in the world. I am never wrong about the sex of an unborn baby. I am told my people were from Scotland and Ireland.

We know the ability exists as both my cousin and I have it to different degrees. We are of Irish and Scottish bloodlines.It is the science of time and space. Relieved to find out that more like us are out there.

Well, this is certainly a relief to read because at times my having the second sight can be uncomfortable as it comes on unexpectedly in dreams, hearing things others cannot and at times, seeing forms. I too am of Scottish-Irish descent and my sight started when I was 7 years old. My grandmother had it who was Scottish on my mother's side and my daughter has it as well. I find it interesting how people are afraid of this phenomenon but to those who have experienced it, it is just part of life and very REAL. It can be awkward as I feel like I should be quiet about it and I am quite sensitive to other people so I tend not to talk about it.

My ancestry is predominantly Welsh, Irish and Scot with a bit of American Indian thrown in. I've had prescient dreams, visions, deja vu and other experiences that seem to qualify as second sight. Starting with the first experiences I had around age three I tried to deny the messages I was getting and focused on blocking them. I got good at it, but never so good that they were completely suppressed. In my early forties I finally accepted the ability. As a consequence I was able to relate a dream I had to my father -- who also had second sight, but wouldn't ever say much about it. What I told him about the dream seemed to set him free to die in peace. With this exception, along with a few premonitions of danger that paid off, I have to say the "gift" was something I never actively wished for. Life is generally lived better from day to day without knowledge of future events. Or so I believe.

Very well said. It eventually becomes something you just live with. It comes and goes unexpectedly and quite fast. It is something that I I do not cherish but more to grips with. It is odd that it runs in families. My daughter, granddaughter, sister, and her daughter have experiences as well.

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